


Steady, As She Goes

by Darkangel4066



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Actually the Races Happen Just Before It, Based on an actual event, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Halloween, Lost rey, Love, Maybe a little angst, Worried Ben, adorableness ensues, fall - Freeform, fall fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:27:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26740615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkangel4066/pseuds/Darkangel4066
Summary: Ben and friends are waiting to compete in the annual coffin races, but where's Rey? Will she make it in time?
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	Steady, As She Goes

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to [LadyRhi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyRhi/pseuds/LadyRhi) for beta-ing this work.
> 
> Enjoy!

Ben breathed in the cool October air of Manitou Springs, Colorado. The colors and smells of autumn filled the air and the Emma Crawford Festival was in full swing. 

The festival first opened in 1995 to commemorate the life and strange afterlife of Emma Crawford, who had come to town in 1889, hoping to find a cure for her Tuberculosis. She had been buried on Red Mountain after she’d died, but after years of weather washing away the packed dirt of her grave, Emma’s coffin had worked loose and came racing down the mountainside one night. 

Her second coming was significantly more memorable than her first. To commemorate the extraordinary incident, the Coffin Races and Festival had become an annual event that drew crowds from all around. 

Waiting for Rey to arrive, Ben dodged a group of guffawing teenagers dragging their race coffin along as he checked his watch again. There was only an hour before the coffin races began. 

Hux, Phasma, and Rose were all waiting beside their entry to the races. Everyone was dressed as  _ Galactic Wars _ characters, and Rey was supposed to be Jedi Bastila. She would be riding in what was basically a coffin-shaped soapbox car that the others would push as fast as they could to the finish line. They’d installed tall handles so that they could push it more easily, and the whole group had started running daily to train for the event. 

The only trouble was: Rey was late and no one knew where she was. 

*

Rey glanced anxiously up and down the side street looking for the detour sign as she drove. She was almost to Manitou Springs, but had run into a closed road and ended up on the worst detour route ever. Not only was it not clearly marked, but _the_ _traffic was horrible_. Sighing, she considered honking at the guy in front of her who had sat through two green lights because he was reading his cell phone, or a map, or _something_. 

She gazed longingly at the red light.  _ Why is there construction now? It’s practically winter. _ The once-green trees lining the street were now vivid red, orange, and gold, and leaves were forming colorful piles all around them. 

The light turned green for the third time, and the driver in front finally moved forward. Slamming the gas, Rey barely made it through the light before it turned yellow and then red again. 

Grumbling under her breath about short traffic lights, Rey found the next detour sign. Her relief was almost palpable. She had started to think she had missed the sign altogether. As directed, she turned left. 

“UUUUUUGGGG,” Rey groaned in frustration.  _ You have got to be kidding me! Really? _ She had found herself right where she had started. The so-called detour had taken her in a circle. 

Checking her watch didn’t help her calm down, the feeling that it was counting down to disaster growing every time she peeked at it. She had only 30 minutes before the start of the races. 

Rey reached for her cell phone, intending to call Ben, and then pulled her empty hand back in defeat. She rested her head against the steering wheel, near to tears. Everyone was counting on her and she had forgotten her phone. 

_ Great. Just Great. _

*

Frowning, Ben took another look at his watch and checked his phone for messages for the upteenth time. Still nothing. It wasn’t like Rey to be late. Usually, she called or texted to tell him where she was, and it was an understatement to say that Ben was worried. 

Teams raced two at a time, and thankfully, they would be last. He wasn’t concerned anymore with the race, however. All he could think about was Rey’s safety. 

_ Where are you? _

They lived in nearby Colorado Springs, and there was a bout of last-minute construction going on toward Manitou Springs he’d noticed on the ride over this morning. He was certain it must have tripped her up, but surely she would have called to let him know she was held up, right? 

He briefly thought about going to look for her himself, but decided against it. Rey was okay. She had to be. 

*

Rey finally found the right road to Manitou Springs, sighing with relief and casting a grumpy look at the orange detour sign that pointed in entirely the wrong direction. She’d fortunately found a local walking by who’d laughed kindly and pointed out the turn she needed to take. It wouldn’t be long now. 

She pulled through the busy streets, looking for a place to park. The festival had closed off the historic downtown district, and she was going to have to pay to park.  _ If _ she could find a  _ place _ to park, that is. 

Throngs of festival-goers walked the streets to and from her intended destination. Rey watched them closely, just in case they decided to walk in front of her and - if she was being honest with herself - on the off-chance they pulled out of one of the full lots. 

Turning the car into a promising lot, she was greeted by an enthusiastic attendant wearing a vampire costume. He directed her to the lone empty spot in the whole parking lot, and she once again felt an incredible rush of relief. 

She checked her watch and lifted her chin determinedly: Fifteen minutes to race time. 

*

Ben was getting antsy, though the others seemed unbothered by Rey’s tardiness. He tried not to worry, but it bothered him that she still hadn’t called. 

He tried to remember if she had put him down as her emergency contact in her medical ID on her phone. He thought so, but what if... 

“Hey, guys!!” Rey pushed through the crowd, waving frantically. 

“This is your pilot?” A uniformed attendant asked over the noise of the race that was currently in progress. 

“Yes, that’s her,” Ben confirmed, hurrying to meet her. 

He looked her over, checking for injuries as she wrapped her arms around his waist.  _ What a relief _ , he thought.  _ She’s all right _ . 

“You scared me,” he murmured gently, feeling his heartrate finally begin to drop. 

“I’m sorry. I forgot my phone,” she apologized and smiled sheepishly up at him. 

“I’m just glad you’re all right,” he whispered, placing a soft kiss to the top of her head. 

*

“You’re up,” a tall referee gestured to their group. 

Rey slipped into the “coffin” and waited while the others pushed her to the starting line. 

“Make sure you hold on,” Ben reminded her, grinning. 

“Please. You guys can’t run  _ that  _ fast,” Rey answered, rolling her eyes. 

“Watch us,” Hux retorted playfully while the others dissolved into laughter. 

“On your marks...Get set...Go!” The attendant waved them forward and they pushed as hard as they could to get their coffin moving, the crowd cheering as they took off alongside the team of ghouls racing them. 

Rey yelped a little bit and grabbed the sides of the wooden contraption, gasping and glaring at Ben who was smirking. She’d have to think of a suitable punishment for him later, though she had a pretty good idea what it would be. 

They flew down the empty street with the ghouls hot on their heels, almost losing control on one of the turns. Ben and Hux were able to recover quickly and disaster was averted. Rey was glad for the helmet she’d been required to wear for safety’s sake, even though she was pretty sure she would still be injured if they crashed. 

They crossed the finish line in record time with Rey laughing all the way. Ben and Hux had started making faces when she’d turned to look at them, and competition had quickly become just a fun ride with the people she loved. She didn’t know if their time was good enough to win, but it had been loads of fun to be pushed around like a child in a buggy. 

When they finally managed to stop, Ben offered her his hand and helped her out of the coffin-shaped car. 

“That was both fun and creepy,” she managed, still laughing. “You had me worried on that one turn though.” 

“We had  _ us _ worried on that turn too,” Phasma remarked dryly. 

“Lucky I’m here,” Hux puffed his chest out. 

“Lucky Ben pays attention, you mean,” Rose teased, watching Hux visibly deflate. Hux had helped, but Ben had been the one bearing the brunt of straightening their makeshift coffin-car. If he hadn’t noticed that something was wrong as early as he did, they would have crashed for sure. 

The races continued for a half-hour more while their group waited for the results. 

Finally, a festival official made a sweeping gesture toward them. “Your winners!” 

They cheered. Jumping into Ben’s arms, Rey whispered, “You are in so much trouble for teasing me earlier.” 

“Who me?” Ben replied innocently. “I would never tease you, your worship.” 

Rey kissed him and smacked him on the shoulder. He’d only said that because he knew she thought it was adorable. It was what his father called his mother to rile her up. 

“You’re lucky I love you,” she said warmly. 

“I know,” he replied, smirking. 

Ben was in so much trouble but Rey knew he wouldn’t have it any other way.  _ He’s such a scoundrel _ , she thought affectionately as they left the festival for home. 

She had  _ plans _ for him. 

**Author's Note:**

> [Emma Crawford Festival](http://www.emmacrawfordfestival.com/)


End file.
